Cry of the Warrior
by myanko92
Summary: The reason Sasuke never appeared in the fillers between Part One and Shippuuden...


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. I do, however, live with Sasuke... (And he approves this story.)

_Setting: Somewhere in Otogakure, early in the beginning of the two year time skip…_

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><p>It was fairly well lit in the vast underground training hall of Orochimaru's lair. Torches flared high on the walls to avoid the danger of being blown out or knocked down onto the floor by whatever powerful jutsu might be cast in the highly intense training bouts that occurred there regularly.<p>

Today, Sasuke was honing his Chidori, attacking row after row of combat dummies in his effort to control the jutsu's power and finesse. As was usual in his training sessions, Orochimaru observed him on the side, seated in a heavy but comfortable chair, while Kabuto stood and took note of Sasuke's biological stats and jutsu progress.

After another row of dummies was left hole-riddled and smoking, Sasuke came to stop, slightly hunched over and breathing heavily. Sweat ran down his forehead and arms, and stuck his training clothes to his back.

"Session time is over, Sasuke," Kabuto said in his smoothly annoying tone. "You can always stop."

Sasuke shook his head fiercely. "Again," he demanded instead.

Kabuto's eyebrows quirked upwards, and he gave the barest hint of a shrug. "Suit yourself," he said as he turned to the wall panel that would send another row of dummies rising from the floor. "Just remember, you have your physical examination and testing after this, and you don't want to be too exhausted from your training. You wouldn't be able to handle it, otherwise."

Sasuke said nothing; just crouched down a bit more and stared intensely at his "opponents" as he prepared to "fight". Off to the side, the corners of Orochimaru's mouth turned slightly upwards while his golden eyes watched his prized boy.

_Good, Sasuke, _he chuckled silently to himself. _Feed your hate. Perfect yourself and your skills to fulfill your ultimate dream…and then you will become mine._

The dummies were in place. Sasuke's left hand stiffened, claw-like, and the characteristic white-blue of Chidori lit up the highest reaches of the ceiling. The chirping of the electrical jutsu bounced off the curves of the roof for a moment, and then Sasuke charged.

_**RAAAUUGH—!**_

Kabuto stopped writing his notes.

Orochimaru stared, his eyes going huge and wide.

Even Sasuke, who never stopped a charge once started, stopped. In his hand, Chidori abruptly sparked out, with one last startled chirp.

Sasuke's voice, in full, blood-intent battle cry, had cracked and broke, going up more than an octave in a soprano-like shriek.

Nobody moved. In front of Orochimaru and Kabuto, Sasuke's face went suddenly red.

"Sasuke," Orochimaru finally said; calmly, carefully. "Perhaps it is time for a break."

Sasuke straightened, then headed for the training hall exit, pulling off medical sensors as he went.

"Perhaps you need some treatment," Kabuto began, heading after the retreating boy. "Training is quite stressful, and you could benefit from some less rigorous therapy. I'm sure I could find some techniques that would be—"

Sasuke stopped and looked back over his shoulder, halting Kabuto mid-sentence and mid-step with the full force of a wrath-filled Sharingan.

"Don't—say—a word," Sasuke bit out, as deeply and menacingly as a boy could manage. Kabuto, uncommonly shaken, watched him then walk away; his echoing footsteps the only sound in the vast training hall. Behind the two of them Orochimaru was silent, mind still stunned from the sudden turn of events. Even in his shocked state, his keen awareness noted that Sasuke had given his ultimatum very, very carefully.

From then on, for much of the two years that Sasuke trained under Orochimaru, and until the voice changes of puberty were over, Sasuke never yelled in training sessions again.

.

.

.

_~Owari_

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><p><strong>AN: **_Just think of Yuri Lowenthal's cool Sasuke voice transitioning to (and through) all his whiny characters' voices. :D_

_This story came from randomly talking at the lunch table with my sibs! And Sasuke, who lives with me, actually laughed after he read this. (Then got all tsundere on me, but I could tell he loved it, the big ol' sweetheart. ;) ) But seriously, doesn't it make total sense? Let me know what you think! :)_

_(Random note: I've never before written and posted a story in a single afternoon. That's the power of inspiration for you. :) It was super fun! I should do it again.)_


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